ASK HR: Why should I babysit my supervisor’s child?
Recently, I was told to start waiting for my supervisor’s daughter to be dropped at the office, by the school bus, which arrives at about 6pm. PHOTO| FILE
What you need to know:
- It really pains me because I have to take two vehicles to get home, and it is not that secure especially since I get home between 9 and 9.30 pm.
- I feel very strained and mentally drained since I need the job and I am yet to get another.
- How do I tell my boss this is beyond my work description without sounding impolite?
Q.I work as a PA to the managing director of a local company - my work experience so far has been great. Our normal working hours are 8am to 5pm, but since I arrive in the office at 7am, I am allowed to leave at 4.30pm.
Recently, I was told to start waiting for my supervisor’s daughter to be dropped at the office, by the school bus, which arrives at about 6pm.
To make matters worse, I am to leave only after the company driver has picked her to take her home, usually around 7.30pm.
I spoke to my boss about the late hours, but he told me the issue is non-negotiable and that this is the last he wants to hear about this issue.
It really pains me because I have to take two vehicles to get home, and it is not that secure especially since I get home between 9 and 9.30 pm. I feel very strained and mentally drained since I need the job and I am yet to get another.
How do I tell my boss this is beyond my work description without sounding impolite?
Certain seasons in business demand companies with the best working environments to require staff to work longer than stated in their contracts.
Your situation is different though, as you are expected to use your time on something that makes little difference to work and your normal duties.
It would be useful to establish the root cause of this new arrangement. If the situation is short-lived, you could consider being patient. It may be a temporary test of your patience which will pass.
If the situation lasts longer than you can bear, you need to request your boss to spare time for you to express your concern. He may neither like the idea nor desire to listen, but it is important that you clearly explain how it adversely affects you and your work. Remember to mention that your experience at work has so far been great, citing the reasons for this.
Your role is to respectfully make your request to have the situation resolved and hope for a positive response.
In the meantime, prepare for the chance that your supervisor will not relent by making the best of the time that you spend with his daughter and finding a way to convert your frustration into the fuel needed to secure another job.
Jefferson Smith, an American entrepreneur, says, “There is no such thing as helplessness. It’s just another word for giving up.”
